Folding table



25, 1932- L. R. VINDING rename TABLE Filed Nov. 24. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet1 awa flew ..A W a L. R. VINDING FOLDING TABLE Oct. 25, 1932.

1 Filed Nov. 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rarenteu uct. Zb, 1952 PATENrOFFICE LAURA R. VINDING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS FOLDING TABLE Applicationfiled November 24, 1930. Serial No. 497,753.

This invention relates to a folding table and has special reference to awork table which may be folded into a compact unit for storing when notin use.

More particularly, this invention relates to a folding table comprisinga top arranged into a compartment for receiving in a slidable relationtherein a folding ironing board, the remaining portion of thecompartment being subdivided for receiving the work to be operated uponand the various accessories for operating upon the work. The top isprovided with folding legs of the usual character so that the assembledunit is very com pact to fit into a minimum of space when stored.

A great number of people are now living in comparatively small quarters,some occupying but single rooms. It is highly advantageous, therefore,to conserve space and yet have as complete accommodations as possible.When but a single room is used, that room is invariably furnished as aliving room or bed room and it is desirable to conceal from view thoseobjects foreign to a living room.

The present invention has reference to an object of great utility whichhas uses that may be taken advantage of almost daily. An ironing boardof substantial size is slidably contained within the compartment formedby the table top, a space therein being reserved for a sewing machine torest and the remaining space being subdivided for use in storing thevarious materials necessary for sewing, mending, pressing, fitting, etc.

It is also pointed out that inasmuch as desirable commercial floor spaceis so valuable, dressmakers and tailors will have use for a device ofthis invention because of their small quarters made necessary by thehigh cost of renting. It is quite desirable when fitting garments tohave a maximum of space free from fixtures of any kind in which to viewthe subject. The work table should be capable of being stored or ofbeing readily accessible at a moments notice. It is believed thestructure of this invention accomplishes these above noted results.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device of the typeindicated above wherein the table top is so constructed and arranged asto receive in slidable relationship and to house a folding ironing boardand accessories for tailoring and like vocations.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterabove described which is readily accessible for use or for storage in aminimum of space.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the abovementioned character which will be simple in operation, comparativelyinexpensive to manufacture, and durable.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter be more particularlypointed out and for a more complete understanding of the characteristicfeatures of this invention, reference may now be had to the followingdescription when taken together with the 210- 70 companying drawings, inwhich latter:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the de vice of this invention when theironing board thereof isin an extended condition;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the ironing board thereforhoused in its compartment;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 44: of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of the pivotalconnection between the table and the folding leg; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 2, showing achanged position thereof in dotted lines.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the device of thisinvention is illustrated as comprising a. table top 10 formed of apreferably rectangular frame 11 having a top 12 and a bottom 13therefor. The compartment thus formed by the top, bottom and side wallor frame members is further subdivided by means of partitions 14: and 15into sub-compartments. It, of course, is to be understood that thenumber of these sub-compartments may be varied at the will of themanufacturer or user, depending upon the type of employment to which thedevice may be adapted by the user.

Into one of the elongated pockets, a folding ironing board 16 is housed,the ironing board having a slidable relation with the table top that itmay be moved into and out of position in its sub-compartment as would adrawer in a table. An auxiliary support 17 is likewise housed in thesame subcom' partment as the ironing board 16 and is moved into and outof engagement therewith because of its relation with the ironing board16 in a manner which will hereinafter be described.

The ironing board 16 is preferably formed of a plurality of memberswhich are connected together in a folded relation when assembled withinthe compartment but are adapted to be coextensive in one plane whenextended out of the compartment. In the present instance, the ironingboard is comprised of two sections 18 and 19 pivotally connectedtogether by means of a pair of hinges 20 and 21 which latter aredisposed on the underneath side of the sections when in an extendedposition. In this position of the hinges the underneath sides of thesections may be folded to lie adjacent each other although they areprevented by the hinges from being extended further apart than in astraight line, the latter being their normal extended position. It is tobe understood, of course, that several sections may be employed andhinged together in this manner depend ing upon the length of thecompartment into which they must be made to fit.

The ironing board is prevented from being pulled entirely from withoutthe sub-compartment by means of a pair of stop members 22 which extendfrom opposite sides at the end of the ironing board and engage grooves23 at the top of the frame member 11 and at the top of the partition 15,the slots being terminated near the end of the frame and partitionmembers. The ironing board is thus fixed in a slidable relation with thetable top, the table top offering a support for one end of the ironingboard.

As an auxiliary means for supporting the ironing board, the support 17is provided and comprises a pair of spaced leg members 24: and 25pivotally supported at one of the ends thereof to a spacing member 26,which latter is fixedly mounted as by means of the screws 27 to theunderneath side of the ironing board section 18. The other ends of thelegs 24 and 25 are tied together by means of a tie rod 28 having one endof a brace 29 pivotally connected thereto, the brace comprising a pairof hingedly connected sections 30 and 31. The end of the section 30 isspaced centrally of the legs 24 and 25 by means of spacers 27a and 27?).The upper end of the section 31 is adapted to engage a recess or othersuitable catch member in a disengageable relation for supporting theouter free end of the ironing board.

The brace 29, as we have hereinbefore stated is formed of two parts,namely the sections 31 and 30, which latter are pivotally connectedtogether by the hinge 32. The hinge comprises a pair of leaf members 33and 3 having lugs 35 and 36, respectively, serrated and deformed toextend into a recess 37 formed at the ends of the sections 30 and 81. Acoil spring 38 is secured between the lugs 35 and 36 to hold thesections 30 and 31 in either of two extreme positions shown in Fig. 7,that is, in a coextensive relation with each other or in apositionfolded back upon each other. It is readily apparent that a. coil springwill perform this function inasmuch as in any other rela tion the coilspring must be extended and in either of the two above mentionedpositions, the spring extends between the points having the shortestdistances.

A small pressing board 39 is disposed in the space afforded by thespacing member 26 and extends in the same direction as the ironing board16 and just below the same, the pressing board being pivoted to swingoutfrom beneath the ironing board 16 at right angles thereto whendesired for use. When not in use the board 39 is moved into positionbeneath the ironing board 16 on its pivot.

lVhen it is desired to store the table the section 31 is removed fromits securing element on the underneath side of the section 19 and foldedback on the section 80. These two folded members as a. unit comprise thebrace 29 and are next pivoted on the tie rod 27 into a substantial planewith the auxiliary support 17, which latter comprises the depending legsfor engagement with the floor. The section 19 is thereafter folded backupon itself and the auxiliary support 17 is raised to extend in the samedirection as the ironing board 16, whereafter all of these elements as aunit, are moved into the subcompartment formed by the partition 15, theauxiliary support moving along on the slides 40 extending longitudinallyof the compartment at the bottom thereof and the ironing board beingguided by the movement of the pins 22 in the slots 23. A door 16a mayclose the opening to the compartment.

lVhen it is desired to use the ironing board 16. the unit including theauxiliary support 17 and the brace 29 is pulled outwardly to a positionsuch that the stop memhere 22 engage the ends of the slots 23. In thisposition the spacing member 26 dependfrom the ironing board section 18extends without the housing and the auxiliary support 17 is pivoteddownwardly therefrom. the ends of the racks 24 and 25 engaging thefloor. The brace 29 is thereafter pivoted on the tie rod 22 and thesection 31 moved outwardly against the tension of the compression spring38 until its occupies a plane coextensive with the section 30, the upperend of the section engaging the underneath side of the ironing boardsection 19 after it is raised to a position coextensive with the ironingboard section 18.

A portion of the table top 12 above the compartment in which the ironingboard unit is adapted to slide has a removable cover 41 which, whenremoved, presents a space into which the usual hand-sewing machine maybe disposed. The other portion of the cover of the table top may bepivotally secured as by means of hinges 42 to the frame 11 so that thecover may be raised to remove the materials kept in thesub-compartments.

It may be desirable to pivotally mount the legs of the table in orderthat the table may be folded into a compact unit for storing when not inuse. Therefore, a substantially U-shaped bracket 43 for each leg issecured to the frame members 11, one of the legs 44 being pivotallysecured in the U-shaped portion by means of the screw bolt 45. When itis desired to hold the leg in an upper position in a line with the framemembers, a spring pressed pin 46 is adapted to engage the underside ofthe leg 44 and when the leg is in a depending position the pin 46extends through an aperture in the leg 44.

As a result of this invention a table is provided which may be foldedinto a compact unit or may be extended to accommodate various types ofwork. An ironing board is moved into and out of a compartment formed inthe table top, the ironing board being formed of a plurality of membersand having a support therefor likewise of a plurality of membersextending within the same compartment when in condition for storage.Further, the compartments are readily accessible for use in storagematerials, and the like, and a compartment is afforded into which a.handsewing machine may be disposed.

While but a single embodiment of this invention is herein shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that various modifications thereof maybe apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of this invention and, therefore, the same is only tobe limited by the scope of the prior art and the appended claim.

I claim:

In a device of the character described, a portable table having acompartment beneath the top thereof, an ironing board coextensive withthe length of said compartment and housed therein, said table top havinga cgg ed gpeni rg above said compartment and said ironing board havingslidable engagement with the walls of said compartment and movable to anoperable position on the outside thereof whereby said compartment mayreceivetheYihliifiofinblfi S wing f lfi giclhinethro ugh said openingwith the 'top'of LAURA R. VINDING.

